


rainy mood

by grimkid



Category: Smile For Me (Video Game)
Genre: M/M, drinking mention, no beta im supid, once again this is self indulgent
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-21
Updated: 2019-08-21
Packaged: 2020-09-23 04:37:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,330
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20334196
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/grimkid/pseuds/grimkid
Summary: its raining.parsley's in a weird mood and kamal's on a weird date.





	rainy mood

**Author's Note:**

> "what is parsley botch but a big gay fool" - tumblr user parmsley

It’s raining.  
Fat drops fall from the sky and patter on the sidewalk, soaking everything and blurring the outdoor lights. The air is warm and humid, and the rain does nothing to help it.  
Parsley Botch is standing under the awning outside the bar, leaning against the brick of the building. He can hear chattering from inside and the music they’re playing is far louder than what’s legal.  
He doesn’t mind it, actually.  
He’s buzzed, but not drunk, which is unusual for him. Normally, he’d be a stumbling, giggling wreck, but this time, he’s drank only enough to get himself to relax.  
“Heyyyy, you listeniiiiing?”  
Parsley snaps back into reality, looking over to Jerafina, who is seated on the bench next to him. She‘s considerably more drunk than he is, but Parsley couldn’t have minded less. She‘s fun when she‘s drunk, though, she’s fun just about any time.  
She gives him a big smile, pushing her glasses further up on her face.  
“What’cha thinkin’ abooooout?”  
As if he knew himself. He’d just spaced out and stared off.  
He just gives her a little smile and shrugs.  
“Just.. stuff.” He doesn’t know how else to explain it.  
She nods and starts to speak again.  
“Parsley, you’re my bestieeee, you know thaaaaaaat?”  
That makes him grin a little more. They had hit it off swimmingly at the Habitat’s lounge, and ever since, they’d been inseparable. In a way, he admires her. She‘s smarter than she lets on, and she’s helped him quite a bit in the past. He’s grateful he met her.  
“Yeah? You tell me every day.”  
“You’re loooooooonely. I can tell.”  
Oh boy, there it is again. Jerafina has been dead set on finding him somebody to date ever since she’d started going out with Lulia. Parsley appreciates the gesture, but he’s far too anxious to ever take up her offers. He hasn't been on an actual date since Martin, and what a disaster that turned out to be.  
"I'm not. I've told you this before, Jambalya- I mean, Jerafina." He retorts. Part of him wants to go back inside and drink some more, but he doesn't want to suffer any more at work than he already does.  
"You aaaaaaare. I can see it in your eyeeeees, Parsleeey. At least, when you have them open.."  
Parsley just sighs and shakes his head, choosing not to respond. Jerafina begins to ramble on about her girlfriend, and he welcomes the change in subject.

Inside the bar, Kamal Bora is on one of the worst dates of his life.  
He sits at the end of the bar, his chin in one hand and a fruity, way-too-sweet drink in the other. He's spent a solid 80% of the date staring at the wall as his date gets drunk and gone on and on about some movie he's directing.  
He really, really hoped his date didn't expect him to haul him home.  
His date asks him something, and he responds with a nod and a quick "yeah", hardly even hearing the slurred words. He hasn't been able to get a word in this whole night, but it's not like he's not awkward enough to find something to talk about.  
They're playing a really good song on the jukebox, wherever it is. Part of him wants to get up and ask his date to dance, but before he can ask, he's cut off by him getting up and rushing to the bathroom.  
He sighs. There goes that plan.  
He takes one more experimental sip of his drink, before he decides he dislikes it immensely. He leaves it on the bar along with a tip for the bartender before he walks out the door. He feels bad for blowing his date off, but he can't do it anymore. Maybe if the dude was actually sober.  
The air is warm and damp when he walks out. He realizes its raining, and he's stuck without an umbrella.  
Could this night get any better?  
He wants to mope, but before he can, he hears a loud gasp from beside him.  
"It's yoooooooou! Kamaaaaal!"  
Jerafina jumps up and scurries over to him, her heels clicking across the concrete, and wraps her arms around his torso, hugging him. She smells heavily of alcohol and fancy perfume. Kamal returns the hug awkwardly, trying not to crinkle his nose at the scent. He vaguely remembers her, but its her company that catches his eye.  
Parsley. When was the last time he talked to him?  
They get into a conversation, the three of them, and Kamal finds himself finally enjoying himself. It's always nice to hear from other Habiticians.  
"It's getting late." Parsley finally speaks up after a while. He's enjoying the conversation- and seeing Kamal again- but he has work in the morning. If he goes to bed when he gest home he might be able to squeeze in a good five hours of sleep. "You guys need a ride?" He asks.  
Jerafina nods, and Kamal shifts awkwardly. He really doesn't want to walk home in the rain, but he also doesn't want to bother Parsley..  
He finds himself nodding yes before he can stop himself. 

Parsley's car is small and a little cramped, but surprisingly tidy. They all climb in, Parsley and Kamal in the front and Jerafina laying in the back, and let out a collective sigh of relief when the air conditioning begins blowing cold air onto them.  
Jerafina is the first to go. Lulia is waiting on her at the door and helps her stumble into the house, giving the two boys a little wave before shutting the door behind her.  
"So, uh.." The car ride is instantly awkward the second Jerafina is gone. Neither know what to say to each other.  
Parsley looks over at Kamal for a brief second, a little nervous, though he isn't sure why.  
Good grief, Kamal is gorgeous, he thinks to himself. He'd always liked him. He was funny and nice to talk to. But what was there to talk about now?  
"..You look nice." He says, testing the waters a bit. He notices Kamal blush a little and stammer.  
"Oh! Yeah, uh, I was.. on a date. Didn't go very well, ya know?"  
"Really? Jeez, that sucks." Parsley is silent for a moment. "You.. you wanna talk about it?"  
It's just like old times. Kamal rants about his terrible date and Parsley listens, a small smile on his face as he drives. They pass by Kamal's house multiple times, but they're both too lost in their conversation to notice or care.  
It feels like a weight is lifted off of his chest when Kamal finished, telling Parsley to take a left to get back to his house. He didn't want to leave, if he's being honest. He forgot how much he missed talking with Parsley.  
They park right in front of his house, and Kamal gives him a goodbye as he slides out of the car, going to unlock his front door, using the dim porch light to find the right key. He notices Parsley is still there, waiting to make sure he gets in safely, and he feels his heart warm up a bit.  
That makes him think..  
He turns around and opens the car door, leaning down to talk to him.  
"Hey, uh.. I know we haven't talked in a while, but, you wanna go get coffee sometime..?"  
To his relief, he agrees, and he scribbles down his phone number on a receipt before handing it to Parsley, before giving him one more quick "Bye!" and rushing in.

The drive home is quiet, and Parsley finds himself gripping the receipt Kamal gave him tightly. Kamal, silhouetted in the light, is ingrained in his mind.  
He gets home, hangs his coat up, and looks down at the note, reading the numbers over and over again with a giddy smile.  
Work was certainly going to be less miserable with someone to think about.


End file.
